This month I’ve been feeling a bit burned out. Can anyone else out there relate? I’m as busy as anyone else, so I can’t play the “I’m sooo busy” card. 
I’m not complaining, just simply stating the facts. Lately, I’M TIRED. I’d like to make more room in my life for self-care, especially during these times when I feel particularly more burned out on the Mama life.
So, here’s a quick list of 10 things for all of us to do for self-care, especially in favor of those trying to be budget conscious. (A.K.A., hopefully you can spend a whopping 5 bucks on yourself, or get lucky and find some of these ingredients in cupboards).
Here we go.
- Epsom salt/essential oil bath. AMAZING! All you need is 2 cups of epsom salts, ½ cup baking soda, and as many drops of essential oil as you think you need. (I’ve used 8-10 drops of lavender and that’s been perfect!) I get my essential oils from a friend who sells Young Living, but you can definitely find essential oils inexpensively in stores like Whole Foods, or other local stores that focus on natural living.
- Give yourself a spa pedicure. Seriously, this is embarrassing. But, about a month ago, my toes were heinous (hello, winter in Reno), and my kids were napping, so I got right to it. I boiled some water in a giant bowl (probably 6 cups) with about 1 cup of epsom salt and ½ a cup of baking soda — notice that’s almost the same recipe as above? I waited for it to cool just a bit, dipped my feel in and soaked. It was amazing. Then I painted my toes. (And saved $35-$65!).
- Make a cup of tea or coffee and get lost in a book! Don’t underestimate this one. For me, something about having a hot beverage in my hand and no children around immediately relaxes me. And reading — it takes me out of my reality for just a short time, which is so needed sometimes!
- Color. I’m not even kidding. Have you tried adult coloring? I have yet to buy an adult coloring book, so instead I color Paw Patrol books, ha! From time to time, Target sells adult coloring books for $1-$5 in their dollar section.
- Purge something. (Seems kind of contradictory when you’re looking for rest and self-care, right?) But don’t knock this one until you try it. Pick one small area of your home, and purge what no longer fits into your life. It’s cathartic. You can make a pile for donating/giving away, one for keeping, one for recycling, and one for trash. (There are lots of other cool methods of purging out there; this is just the system I use.)
- Journal. There are many different ways to journal, but my personal favorite is bullet journaling. It isn’t fancy. I can get my thoughts out fast. It’s a healthy way for us to release things sometimes!
- Give yourself some DIY skincare treatment. Target has some inexpensive moisturizing eye gel pads and face masks that you can purchase individually for $2-$3 each. Trader Joe’s also has some natural skincare items that you can purchase fairly inexpensively (like Vitamin E Oil, and so forth). If you want to raid your pantry and use what’s already on hand, just do that! Check pinterest (or Dr. Google) for some natural face masks. Avocado, coconut oil, oatmeal, yogurt, honey, and so forth have amazing benefits to skin.
- Listen to a podcast while doing your favorite activity. Some of my personal favorite channels are: The Minimalists; God Centered Mom; and Janet Lansbury Unruffled. It’s amazing — there are podcasts on just about everything.
- Make yourself a new music playlist. I don’t do this one enough! (Nursery rhymes are on repeat).
- Go for a walk or exercise. Hello, natural endorphins. Such a great way to relieve stress.
What are some of your favorite self-care activities? Is there anything you can add to the list? Tell us in the comments!
